Nigel Woolcock <[email protected]> writes: > I have an uncased (Non-Starter Kit, Serial Number 142) TeleDongle > Version 0.2 which I need to use as a second ground station for my > TeleMega Version 1.0 (and/or my TeleGPS Version 1.0). I've installed it > into a rugged, screened metal enclosure with a 3 metre USB cable so that > it could be located as close as possible to the antenna to minimise > feeder loss.
Wow! That's from the very first production run in Feb of 2010. Very cool that you're going to put it to use! > I've attempted to test it with both Windows 7 and Windows XP laptop PCs > (which are known to work well with my other TeleDongle Version 0.2 > supplied as part of my Starter Pack). Unfortunately the TeleDongle isn't > recognised by either Windows 7 or Windows XP, and being shown as having > stopped working. As a result of this I suspected that the uncased > TeleDongles may have been supplied "blank" and without an AltOS image. That's probably correct. I don't recall ever trying to flash any TeleDongle units without putting a USB cable on them, so if you started with a board that had no box or cable it's highly likely that it was never turned on before it was shipped. In fact, I think you may have one of only two boards that we ever sold in that state... ;-) > I then attempted to flash the firmware to the "blank" TeleDongle using > the companion lead supplied with the Starter Kit and my TeleMetrum > Version 1.2 (Firmware Version 1.1.1-1) with the AltOS GUI (Version > 1.6.1) and following the procedure in the manual. However, I could only > see and select the TeleMetrum as a device, and even after selecting it I > was unable to specify it as a programming device. In addition, when > selecting the image to flash only the images suited to the TeleMetrum > were made available and the serial number and RF calibration values > displayed were those for the TeleMetrum itself. I was afraid to attempt > to progress any further through the procedure in case I "bricked" my > TeleMetrum. I jut dug around and found an old Starter Kit that was returned as part of an "update their inventory" trade with a distributor... it had a TeleMetrum v1.2 board and a TeleDongle v0.2, both with v1.0.3 firmware. I attached a power switch and battery to the TeleMetrum board, and plugged it in to my Linux machine using a mini USB cable. Powered it up in idle mode, and confirmed that the board appeared. Then I took the cover off the TeleDongle box, attached the pair programming cable with 8-pin end on the TeleMetrum companion connector and 4-pin end on the TeleDongle, then plugged the TeleDongle into the computer to give it power over USB. Choosing "Flash Image" in AltosUI v1.6.1, I was able to select the TeleMetrum as the programming device, and then was able to select teledongle-v0.2-1.6.1.ihx as the image to be flashed. OK'ed the existing cal value and the flashing completed. Then you have to unplug and re-plug the USB on the TeleDongle to cause it to go through a power cycle and it came back up running 1.6.1 firmware. I then swapped the pair programming cable around so the 8-pin was on the TeleDongle and the 4-pin on the TeleMetrum, and flashed the TeleMetrum by selecting TeleDongle as the programmer and picking telemetrum-v1.2-1.6.1.ihx as the image to flash, accepted the existing RF cal value, and it flashed fine and rebooted. Then, just to be sure, I shut down both the TeleMetrum and TeleDongle, flipped the pair programming cable back around so the 8-pin was on the TeleMetrum and the 4-pin on the TeleDongle, and used the TeleMetrum running 1.6.1 which is our latest production firmware to successfully re-flash the TeleDongle. Things you'd want to check are that you've got power to the TeleDongle via the USB cable, that the Telemetrum has a battery and USB cable and is powered up in idle mode, and that you have the orientation of the pair programming cable correct. If those are all ok, things *should* just work. > Does the device being programmed need to have an existing AltOS image in > order to be successfully programmed? Nope. All early-generation products using the cc1111 have to be pair programmed, and the pair programming process has no dependencies on anything on the target. > If this is the case how do I program the "blank" TeleDongle with the > required AltOS image? Also how do I derive the RF calibration value if I > cannot obtain it from an existing (and working) firmware image? Once you flash an image, you can use a terminal emulator to talk to the TeleDongle over USB and issue the 'C' command to generate a carrier. Using a frequency counter, note the carrier frequency. Hit a key to get out of the carrier generation and use 'c s' to display the current frequency selection (should always be 434550 meaning 434.550 Mhz on a TeleDongle) and the current Radio cal value. Compute the correct cal value for your board using this equation: desired_freq / actual_freq * existing_cal_value = new_cal_value Because TeleDongle has no non-volatile storage other than the main flash program memory, to put this cal value into the board you need to re-run the flashing operation, sticking in the computed cal value this time. After flashing is complete, power cycle the TeleDongle, connect to it again with your terminal emulator, and the 'C' command should bring up a carrier within the synthesizer step size of 434.550 Mhz. Note that if you're using a Linux system, there's a script in our source tree in ao-bringup/turnon_teledongle_v0.2 that automates the "turn on a board for the first time including doing the RF cal" process. The serial number of the TeleDongle being used to do the programming is hard-coded, but it's a simple shell script and should be easy enough to hack for your setup if you want to try it. > Is my lack of success due to incompatible or widely differing firmware > and AltOS GUI versions? Do I need to revert back to an earlier version > of the AltOS GUI? Nope. AltosUI 1.6.1 should work just fine. I suspect you're not getting power to one of the two boards. Feel free to let me know if what I've typed here doesn't solve the problem for you. Worst-case, you can send it to me or Keith and we'll be happy to flash and cal the board for you. Bdale
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